Reduce Pain and Move Better: 3 Simple Tips

Aches? Pains? Stiffness? Most of these problems are caused, not by injuries, but by our basic habits of living. Even problems stemming from a lot of injuries, can be erased doing three simple, easy to add, easy to do lifestyle changes.

Stand and move in better posture (no added time) -Vid available below

Increase joint Range of Motion (5 min per day) -Vid available below

Increase muscular flexibility (15 min per day) -Vid available below

Stand and move in better posture

The first 2 years of our lives, we are pushing; pulling; squatting; bending; twisting; and walking our way to perfect posture. (pic of emma standing)

After that, we continue to live our lives doing things that ruin this perfect posture. We sit to drive; we sit to work; we paddle with relaxed abs and flexed backs; we repeat motions over and over again; we slouch; we workout and don’t stretch; and more depending on your lifestyle.

Nerve Constriction Leading to Shooting Pains in the Back, Neck, and Legs as well as Numbness in Arms and Legs

Knee, Ankle, and/or Hip Pain

What you might not know!!!! Poor posture also causes:

SHORTER LIFE EXPECTANCY

So here are some tips to stand in better posture. If available, skip ahead and just watch the video.

Your feet should be hip width apart and straight (Watch for toes going in or out)

You should always have a slight bend in the knee

Roll your thumbs out to the side, keeping arms next to side (Feel how the back of your shoulders pull tight)

Pull the back of the top of your head up as tall as possible

Pull chin back

Tilt hips forward until abs feel “on”

Increase your Range of Motion (5 min)

Poor range of motion can lead to poor posture and all the problems that it brings, including:

Tight muscles

Increased risk of injuries

Limited use of joints

Pain

And more…

I recommend doing 5 min or so worth of really easy drills in the morning to realign your posture and open up the circulation and nervous system channels. Watch the video below.

Increase muscular flexibility (15 min per day)

Flexibility isn’t just for gymnastics. Athletes, pro or amateur, and even those who never participate in activities NEED flexibility. Tight muscles causes difficulties in maintaining proper posture, therefor leading to all the problems we mentioned earlier.

I recommend 15 minutes of stretching before going to bed, as well as stretching after a workout or strenuous activity (including long bouts of sitting).

We ran a post on 8 stretches for your full body. You can add some more if you please. Here is a link to that blog post.

Conclusion

Try this over 1 day. Even the first day will have you feeling better. You might be in a better mood, you might have less pain, YOU MIGHT LIVE LONGER. So give it a go. 20 minutes a day for a higher quality of life.

For a custom stretch guide, set up a consultation by calling 855-SURF GYM (787-3496) or emailing DSCPerformance@gmail.com